asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether he is aware that an official of his Department has commented comparatively in an official Departmental letter on representations made by a Deputy in a particular case; that the comments appear to indicate political partisanship on the part of the official concerned and the existence of political influence as a paramount factor in the administration of the Department in Kerry and particularly in Tralee; and whether in the circumstances he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Social Welfare Department—Official's Comment.
I assume the Deputy refers to a letter addressed to him from my Department on the 2nd of this month. I have read the letter and do not consider that it bears the construction suggested by the Deputy. I am satisfied that political influence had nothing whatever to do with the investigation of the cases to which the Deputy refers, and that the letter was designed solely to explain the circumstances of the cases in which he was interested, and the procedure which the persons concerned should adopt if they desire to have their cases further investigated.
May I say that it was wrong for an official of the Minister's Department to reflect on the representations made by a Deputy and to compare those representations with the representations made by other Deputies?
I am afraid I cannot agree with the Deputy that there is any reflection in the letter, or that any reflection was intended. The letter, in my view, was an effort—perhaps a diffuse one—to explain to the Deputy that the problem in which he was interested was one which was under consideration by the Department for some considerable time, and other Deputies have also made representations in the matter. It was not intended to be any reflection on the Deputy's representations and the letter was designed merely to say that it was a complicated problem, so complicated that the Department had had representations from different sources on the subject.
I am afraid I do not understand plain English.